A Beautiful Friendship
by Old Man Panda
Summary: A new student comes to Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Students. Will he be an outcast amoung outcasts?


Legal Stuff: I don't own most of these characters. Marvel does. Broadsword comics owns John Christopher Smith. He's used with permission. The others aren't. This is set in the so-called movieverse, not in Kender's and mine shared one. Yes I know I added my old original character but the story wouldn't leave my head. I'm still working on my "Once and Future Destiny" arc but hit some writers block. I hope you like this. I would probably rate this "PG". Archive with request. Feedback is cherished. Flames are sent to comic book limbo so the poor characters there have something to keep them warm.  
  
"A Beautiful Friendship"  
By Panda-kun  
  
"Look at the rich jerk, too good for the rest of us common muties," said John to the group of friends sitting with him at their lunch table.  
  
"Jeez flame boy chill. He's new here. It takes time to make new friends for some people," retorted Bobby Drake.  
  
"And keep it down John. He's gonna hear you. Would you want people talking behind your back about you! Have a heart," whispered Kitty Pryde as fiercely as she could.  
  
"Hey it's not my fault. If 'Richie Rich' over there wanted to be more social there wouldn't be a problem. Does anyone even know what his mutation is? Face it he's the only one who mommy and daddy sent here. The Professor found the rest of us, what makes him so special," ranted John.  
  
The object of the small group of students at Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters scrutiny was a new student. While everyone else was eating lunch with their friends this young man ate alone. A set of large headphones covered his ears and dark eyeglasses covered his eyes. He was a handsome young man. Nearing six feet tall, weighing somewhere around one hundred and seventy pounds, with short brown hair.   
  
As the group of students watched him he stood up, looked directly at them, and took his tray back. His gaze seemed to linger for just a second on Kitty Pryde.  
  
"Looks like he's got the hots for you Kitty," Bobby joked.  
  
"Jeez give my bud a break Bobby. Like she would go out with the total weirdo there," Jubilee retorted.  
  
"I can fight my own battles firecracker. Have you ever seen anyone look so alone," Kitty asked.  
  
"Ah have. In the mirror when Ah was on the road," said Rogue in a quite voice.  
  
"Any bets on what his powers are," asked Bobby trying to change the subject.  
  
"Well he could be like Mr. Summer's. He's always wearing those sunglasses," John said.  
  
Kitty knocked on his head like she was knocking on a door.   
  
"Hello Earth to John, if he had powers like Mr. Summers his glasses would be ruby quartz."  
  
"Maybe he doesn't have normal eyes and ears. Maybe they look like bugs, or spiders. Maybe he's some sort of Spider-Man," Jubilee says.  
  
"If he had spider powers he would stick to walls. Don't you read comic books anymore Jubes," Bobby says shooting down her idea.  
  
Just as Jubilee began to fire back at Bobby the bell rang signaling the start of the second half of the school day. The friends spilt up each heading to their respective classes. Kitty Pryde went to her small advanced physics class with Professor Xavier.  
  
"Welcome class. Today we will have a new student joining our class, J.C. Smith," Professor Xavier said once everyone got seated.  
  
Everyone turned to look at their new classmate. Much to everyone's shock he was still wearing the sunglasses and headphones. He was seated at a desk with his book and paper ready. The Professor began the day's lesson so the students moved their attention from J.C. to the Professor.  
  
As the Professor went on Kitty would occasionally look at J.C. and his work. Kitty was the smartest girl in the class. The Professor said her I.Q, was around 160. She was actually a few chapters ahead of the rest of the class. When she looked at J.C.'s work she realized that he was as far ahead as she was.  
  
Something else struck Kitty as strange. The Professor would always challenge his students by asking many questions. On a normal day a student could count on having to answer at least three questions. Now here it was ten minutes left in class and J.C. had yet to answer a single question.  
  
After classes were done Kitty decided to follow J.C. After class he went strait to his room, not to surprising for a guy with no friends. What did surprise Kitty was the fact that Mr. Logan was waiting for him.  
  
"Ready for today's lesson kid," Logan asked.  
  
John simply nodded.   
  
The two of them went into J.C.'s room.  
  
"I've got to find out what's going on here," Kitty said to herself quietly.   
  
She concentrated and activated her own mutation. She became as intangible as a ghost. She walked through a wall into what turned out to be J.C.'s closest. She crept forward and phased her head through the front of closet hoping that neither man would see her.  
  
"Remember kid, you control your senses. They don't control you. Now take off your glasses and headphones. You've got a sharp mind. Use it to control what it gets," Logan said.  
  
"But sir, it hurts so much," J.C whispered so softly Kitty was not sure if she had heard it.  
  
"Kid, pain is part of life. It's how we deal with pain that matters," Logan said holding up a fist in front of J.C.  
  
*SNIKT*  
  
"Every time my claws come out it hurts. Does that mean I should never use them? No. They're too useful to not ever use em. The same goes for your abilities. Now take the shades and phones off," Logan said.  
  
J.C. did as Logan instructed him. Kitty watched intently as first the headphones then the sunglasses came off.  
  
Kitty thought to herself.  
  
"Ok Kid what do your sences tell you," Logan said leaning back in a chair.  
  
"They tell me within the last few hours that you have had three cigars, Cuban in fact. Also you have drank some whiskey. However, the whiskey has done little to you by the sound of your speech. The pollen count is rather high today. This table is made out of real oak. You need to use a better detergent. Also, I thought curiosity killed the cat," J.C. said after inhaling deeply through his nose.  
  
"Busted," was Kitty's only response.  
  
Logan began to laugh.  
  
"I was wondering when you would spot her kid. Tell you what I think our lesson is done for the day," Logan said, getting up.  
  
"I'm so so sorry. I'm," Kitty began  
  
"Your Katherine, Kitty, Pryde. Friend of Bobby Drake, John Storm, Jubilation Lee and the girl known as Rogue. You have the ability to walk through solid matter. You are also very good at quantum physics and computer programming," J.C. said with a smile.  
  
"And you have nice eyes J.C.," was all Kitty could think of to say.  
  
"I'm John Christopher Smith. My parents call my J.C., I hate it. My friends call my Chris. Anything else you would like to know," asked Chris.  
  
"What are your powers," Kitty asked, hoping to get something besides embarrassment out of this.  
  
"Gutsy, I like that. Ok here's the deal. I have super-human strength, agility, stamina and intelligence. All five of my senses are heightened beyond human norms. I also have a total recall memory," Chris said matter of factly.  
  
"Those sound.... super hearing and memory. Oh crap," Kitty said coming to a realization.  
  
"Yes, I heard every word you and your friends said about me. I can assure you I am not a spider-man," Chris said with a chuckle.  
  
"Oh God, I'm so sorry," Kitty stamered.  
  
"You already said that. It's ok, John was right. It is partly my fault. My powers came on quickly. One day I was a normal thirteen year old the next I could hear an ant fart. John's right about something else. My parents are rich. They did seek out the Professor and Dr. Grey. I'm proud of my family and their proud of me. Proud that I want to use my gifts to help people. Oh and thank you for speaking up for me. Any other questions." Chris asked.  
  
"Wow, yeah. Want to study together after dinner," Kitty asked.  
  
"Sounds great. You know Pryde, this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship," Chris said.  
  
Kitty elbowed him in the gut. 


End file.
